Ukrainian Food Flair

To most North Americans buckwheat may be an unknown...or an acquired taste.If the latter, it's certainly worth the effort. Buckwheat is highly nutritious, has a long shelf life and is very versatile.In this episode Sylvia shares two delicious buckwheat recipes, and tips for other ways to use it.This recipe for basic baked buckwheat kasha is in the cookbook Ukrainian Food Flair: Authentic Recipes from Canada's West Coast. Available at Amazon and other online booksellers.

Sylvia shares two rich, cream‑baked dishes from her mother’s kitchen, beginning with new potatoes seasoned simply and cooked until tender in whipping cream. She also recalls her mom preparing chicken the same way, browning the pieces first and finishing them in cream with chopped dill for a superb, home‑style meal.You’ll find this recipe, along with others from the series, in the Ukrainian Food Flair cookbook, available from Amazon and other online booksellers.

Fresh dill and soft butter transform a simple French loaf into a warm, aromatic treat that freezes beautifully and pairs perfectly with any meal. This easy make‑ahead recipe brings a touch of Ukrainian kitchen comfort to modern tables.You’ll find this recipe, along with others from the series, in the Ukrainian Food Flair cookbook, available from Amazon and other online booksellers.

Duck has long held a special place in Ukrainian kitchens, valued not only for its rich flavor but also for the down and feathers used in traditional pillows and wedding bedding.This episode revisits two time‑honored preparations — fried duck and roast duck — along with the practical cooking wisdom, serving ideas, and old‑world techniques that continue to resonate with home cooks today.You’ll find this recipe in the cookbook Ukrainian Food Flair — Authentic Recipes from Canada's West Coast available on Amazon and other online booksellers..

Sylvia Molnar takes a deep dive into the secret behind the dainty, delectable and now quite rare sweets called Khrustyky in Ukrainian, also known as "nothings" because they literally melt in your mouth.She shares the ingredients, shaping methods, and frying techniques for these traditional treats, along with the intricate process for creating the ornate rose shape for these cookies that she learned from her mother. This is one of Sylvia's collection recipes, stories, and cooking tips preserved in the Ukrainian Food Flair Cookbook, published as a tribute to her legacy.

In this segment, Sylvia Pidraziuk Molnar brings forward a fabulous, simple recipe in praise of asparagus — a plant that has grown wild in Ukraine for centuries and still appears in Ukrainian kitchens across the country. She speaks to its quiet presence and long history in Ukrainian cookery, and the way its character pairs so naturally with familiar flavours, including the Carpathian bryndzia cheese as well as parmesan. Sylvia offers a straightforward preparation that lets the vegetable remain the star, a small dish with deep roots and a hint of the mountains in its finish.You’ll find this recipe, along with others from the series, in the Ukrainian Food Flair cookbook, available from Amazon and other online booksellers.

Makivnyk is the Ukrainian name for the poppy seed roll that has long anchored Ukrainian sweet‑dough baking. A timeless favourite shared by other East European cultures, it nonetheless remains a signature dish in Ukrainian kitchens. This episode highlights tips and techniques for creating a luscious poppy seed filling for a roll using your own preferred sweet dough recipe.A bonus is this filling can be used in other classic dishes like strudel and perogies. And yet another bonus: Sylvia's own sweet dough recipe is in the Ukrainian Food Flair cookbook. I have made it myself ... and it is a winner! Смачного!